State of Phillies Bullpen After Brad Keller, Matt Strahm Moves

The flames, the music, and the flashing lights were supposed to exhilarate Citizens Bank Park at a whole new level during the MLB Postseason when Jhoan Duran jogged in from center field. Instead, the Philadelphia Phillies handed the ball to their closer while they were trailing in their only two home playoff games in 2025.

Dave Dombrowski subsequently prioritized a new bullpen mix in some of the club's biggest offseason moves to build the bridge to Duran.

The Phillies signed free agent right-hander Brad Keller, dealt left-hander Matt Strahm, and collected depth arms to strengthen a group of middle relievers that became a weakness for long stretches of 2025.

Keller finally found his role as a full-time reliever in his only season with the Chicago Cubs in 2025. Stints in the starting rotation and the bullpen landed him with an unremarkable 4.34 ERA with three teams in seven previous MLB seasons. His 2.07 ERA in 68 games, conversely, earned him a two-year, $22 million free agent deal.

He'll now will team up with Duran and Jose Alvarado to bring overwhelming size and power to the back end of the bullpen in Philadelphia.

The 30-year-old increased his velocity last season with the advantage of a clearly-defined bullpen role. His fastball averaged 97.2 miles per hour. He also developed effective secondary putaway pitches during the breakout campaign. Hitters swung and missed at 46% of Keller's sweepers and 39% of his changeups.

Keller seized the closer’s role for the Cubs by September. He threw 5⅔ playoff innings and recorded two postseason saves.

Keller's ability to miss bats and limit hard contact boosted key statistical metrics that MLB front offices prioritize heavily for relievers. His imposing 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame only adds to the profile that attracted the Phillies.

The Phillies acquired Duran in July to lock down the ninth inning. They expect to lean on Alvarado as their primary left-handed set-up man, and Keller will handle the right-handed high-leverage innings in front of the All-Star closer. Lefty Tanner Banks and righty Orion Kerkering will enter spring training as the primary middle relief options.

The Phillies quickly shed $7.5 million after the lucrative investment in Brad Keller by dealing Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals. Dombrowski spoke after the two moves about the front office’s initial view of their bullpen entering the offseason.

Strahm posted a 2.71 ERA in 188 games during an accomplished three-year Phillies career. He was the best reliever on a 2025 team that was thin on bullpen options for most of a 96-win season.

However, his declining fastball velocity and his struggles to keep the ball on the ground raised questions about a 34-year-old making significant money. The Phillies also weren’t thrilled about Strahm’s public questions after Orion Kerkering’s devastating playoff error about why they didn’t prioritize pitcher fielding practice. Rob Thomson had previously specified PFP as an important part of the club’s bye week regiment entering the playoffs.

The confidence to trade Strahm is also a heavy bet on Alvarado bouncing back after an 80-game PED suspension in 2025. The Phillies could've saved $9 million by declining a club option on "The Hefty Lefty" for 2026. They instead chose to subtract Strahm’s salary for a minimal trade return.

Banks tied for the team lead in appearances in 2025. The Phillies will expect him to resume his role as their left-handed workhorse after an impressive season with a 3.07 ERA.

The Phillies acquired Jonathan Bowlan from the Royals in the Strahm trade. The 29-year-old has only pitched in 37 MLB games in his career. He’s floated between the rotation and the bullpen at the major league and minor league levels.

Bowlan’s best career stretch came late in 2025 after his final call-up to the big leagues. He posted a 2.55 ERA in 15 games in August and September. Dombrowski compared Bowlan’s situation to the career path of Tanner Banks, a late-bloomer who made his MLB debut at age 30.

The Phillies also acquired Kyle Backhus from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade for minor league outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu.

Backhus finished with an unimpressive 4.62 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in the only 32 appearances of his major league career last season. However, his sidearm delivery is particularly challenging for left-handers to handle. The 27-year-old held lefties to a .135 batting average last season.

The MLB Rule 5 Draft also provided some right-handed bullpen depth. Zach McCambley has shown strengths against right-handed hitters during his minor league career. He'll compete for a roster spot in spring training.

The state of the Phillies bullpen in 2025 opened the door for middle relievers to emerge, but Rob Thomson never found a reliable diamond in the rough. Righties like Jose Ruiz, Carlos Hernandez, and Daniel Robert didn't emerge in high-leverage opportunities the way Jeff Hoffman did in 2023 and 2024.

Dombrowski also mentioned Max Lazar, Seth Johnson, and Nolan Hoffman as candidates for bullpen innings entering the spring training competition. The Phillies plan to backfill with other left-handed depth additions without any additional major moves.

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs, StatCast, and Baseball Reference